


What's in a Name

by espioc



Series: Friends with Benefits and More [3]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Humor, M/M, Sparklings, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, accidental sparkling, these two can't name their child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 12:00:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13457817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espioc/pseuds/espioc
Summary: Starscream and Wheeljack's little creation has finally arrived.Now all's left to do it name it. Which proves to be harder than it seems.





	What's in a Name

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote an interfaces scene in this one, please enjoy you won't see many from me.

Starscream groaned as he turned over. He threw an arm over his berthmate’s chest and just barely lifted his face from the berth to grumble. “Before sunrise he’s your sparkling.”

Wheeljack sighed, reveling in the feeling of rest for a moment longer before forcing himself to sit up. With a heavy frame Wheeljack shuffled over to the crib against the wall and looked into it. Seeing the tiny sparkling took a little weight off his frame. “What is it, baby?” he grumbled, reaching in and drawing the fussy sparkling from it’s berth. Once safely resting in the crook of his arm Wheeljack brought them over to the seat in the corner and attached a fuel pump to the intake in the sparkling’s chest. The little guy calmed down immediately, nestling contently in it’s Sire’s arms. 

Wheeljack let out a sigh, leaning back in the chair and letting his eyes close as the sparkling refueled. He didn’t realize he was falling asleep until his Sire protocols woke him up. The sparkling was being removed from his arms, causing him to lurch awake. 

“It’s alright,” Starscream assured. “It’s just me. He’s done, you fell asleep.” 

Wheeljack eased. “Oh,” he rubbed his aching optics. “Sorry,” 

“It's fine,” Starscream's tone was flat as he laid the sparking back in the crib. As he stood up straight he sighed, his attention still on the sparkling. Wheeljack studied him for a moment, trying to gage a mood. Loose hanging wings, neither slumped nor hiked. Frame slightly tight, but more in an attentive or thoughtful way as opposed to stressed. Most of Starscream’s body language suggested he was merely thinking. There was one thing, however, that almost negated everything else. 

Sharp talons dug into the metal of the crib’s railing. Maybe he was thinking about something upsetting. Luckily Starscream was keen to share, for once. “He still doesn’t have a name.”

“It’s only been a week since transfer,” Wheeljack defended weakly. “And we can’t agree on one. May as well let someone else pick at this point.”

Starscream scoffed. “Absolutely not.”

Wheeljack shoved himself out of the chair. “It was more or a joke than anything. I know you’d never let anyone but us name him.” 

Starscream glanced over his shoulder. “Count yourself lucky to be included at all. If it were up to me he’d be named already.” 

Wheeljack hummed as he came up behind his seeker. “Yeah, but,” he took Starscream gently by the arms and looked past him into the crib. “Gotta give the Sire something, right?”

Starscream’s lip twisted as he looked down to his partner. He gestured into the crib. “I just gave you a sparkling, what more do you want from me?” 

“Just the opportunity to name him.” 

“Hm, well, you’re getting that aren’t you?” 

Wheeljack sighed, resting his cheek against Starscream’s arm. “It’s going to be a year until we name this sparkling,” he grumbled, not looking forward to it. 

“Oh come on, I’m not that stubborn.”

Wheeljack could only look at his partner. Eventually Starscream gave in. “Alright, maybe I am,” he admitted. “But is it so wrong for me to want my sparkling to have a name as perfect as he is?”

“Hmm, no, not necessarily. Just gotta make sure it gets a name by the time he can understand us.”

“Oh, he’ll get a name before then, don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”   

“Aww,” Wheeljack leaned his head off his partner’s arm. “You think I’m pretty?” he joked, eyes smiling up at his partner. Starscream stifled a smirk and stepped out of his partner’s grasp to head back to the birth. “Come on, science boy, it’s still too early for any sensible mech to be awake.”

“Ah, well,” Wheeljack turned away from the crib. “It’s a good thing we ain’t sensible then,” he joked before walking around the berth to take his spot. As he climbed under the covers he mumbled. “Ya know, with all that interfacing we do without protection.” 

Starscream scooted a little closer and wrapped his arms around his partner, tugging him closer. “Oh shut up,” he grumbled into Wheeljack’s head. “You love your sparkling, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, he’s beautiful, almost as pretty as you.”

“Wheeljack please- he’s prettier than me.”

Wheeljack snuggled in a little more. “Never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“And you’ll never hear it again, I assure you,” Starscream smiled. In reality he wasn’t that vain, but it was still fun to joke about it sometimes. Their sparkling truly was a beautiful little thing. Black and white with red detailing. Starscream’s sharp pretty features and Wheeljack’s kind optics. Those had come out violet. Like his Sire he had little finials, though they weren't as large and prominent as Wheeljack's. They were small, more in the shape of Starscream's helm vents. 

With a soft smile Starscream nestled in and fell back asleep. 

 

* * *

 

The next morning was met with the slight chaos a sparkling brought to mornings. They all took a shower together, Wheeljack and Starscream exchanging the sparkling between them as they washed. When that was taken care of Wheeljack made the bed while Starscream held the sparkling and prepared a couple of cubes. 

They sat down together, Starscream electing to feed the sparkling that morning as he and Wheeljack silently sipped at their cubes and looked down at their work. “Are you sleeping here tonight?” Starscream inquired, eyes never leaving the datapad. 

“I was thinkin’ about it. You said he gets fussy when I don’t, didn’t you?”

“I did, but I can handle it. Or you can take him tonight, whatever works.” 

“See, now I thought  _ you  _ got fussy when I take him,” it was almost a joke. The last time Wheeljack had taken the sparkling back to spend the night at his apartment Starscream came knocking at Wheeljack’s door in the middle of the night.

“I can’t help it that my bond it marginally stronger,” Starscream muttered. “I’ll live.”

“Alright, I’ll take him tonight then. What about this morning?”

“I’ll take him, so I get to spend some times before we part.” 

“Makes sense.”

They finished up their energon and headed out, parting at Starscream’s office. Wheeljack gave his sparkling a kiss on the cheek before heading down to the the lab. 

The relationship he and Starscream had was interesting to say the least. They didn’t live together, but sometimes they shared a berth when both wanted to be close to the sparkling. Sometimes they interfaced, sometimes they didn’t. The Sparkling liked being with both of them at the same time, and neither creator was necessarily against that, but the reality still stood that they were friends with benefits, and tried not to be anything more. Sometimes they kissed goodbye, but their relation otherwise was a casual one. 

Despite that they both cared very dearly for their sparkling, who had yet to be named, and had to admit that they cared for eachother to some twisted extent beyond mere friendship. Wheeljack blamed it on the creator protocols, Starscream accused him of simply being unwilling to admit that maybe feelings were included. Just a little bit. 

Wheeljack, of course, would never admit that. 

For the day he worked in his lab. When he took a break to refuel he went up to visit his sparkling, who was clinging contently to Carrier’s middle. 

“Doesn’t that hurt?” asked Wheeljack, approaching the desk. Most sparklings had magnets in their palms so they could attach to Carrier or Sire with ease. Their little bundle of joy had magnets, but he elected to use his tiny claws to latch on instead, digging them deep into his Carrier and Sire’s plating. Wheeljack often encouraged him to use the Magnets, but Starscream didn’t seem to care either way. 

“Eh,” Starscream grunted, concentration locked on a datapad. “It doesn’t bother me.” 

Wheeljack came around the desk. “Whatever you prefer I guess,” he muttered, leaning down and giving his sparkling a kiss on the head. “Just came for a visit while I get a cube."

“Are you going to steal from my dispenser again?”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“No.”

“Then yes.”

Wheeljack retrieved for himself a cube and came to sit in the seat across from his partner. For a while they sat in silence before Wheeljack finished off his energon and came to a stand, walking behind the desk again. “I’m headed back down,” he announced before leaning over and giving his sparkling another kiss on the head. “I’ll pick him up later tonight,”

Starscream quickly finished jotting something down before calling for Wheeljack to wait. “Here,” the seeker started carefully prying the tiny hands off his chassi. “You can take him now, it’ll be easier.” 

Starscream carefully transferred the sparkling from his plating to Wheeljack’s, making sure the little guy didn’t get the chance to dig his claws in. Once they were set Wheeljack headed out. He tried his best to ignore the ever persistent stares as he walked through the halls of the spire. People liked to whisper, they did it quite loud. Some stares were wary, others judgmental, and some were pleasant, smiling at the tiny sparkling attached to it’s Sire’s waist. Those had become more common. Wheeljack couldn’t even imagine the looks Starscream got when he was carrying. The only reason it had become public knowledge was because Wheeljack’s little lie had spread. Fortunately or unfortunately for them it turned out to be true. People were not happy about it. 

Some of the colonies frowned upon the conception of a sparkling without a bond. Others didn’t seem to care. It was political chaos. Somehow, though, Starscream manage to get the situation under control. Wheeljack didn’t spend much time with Starscream over the course of the carrying. Politics sort of got in the way, as well as Starscream’s reluctance to be seen with the sparkling’s Sire. There were bumps, but they made it through okay. If everyone was being honest both Wheeljack and Starscream were sort of embarrassed. They'd managed to accidentally have a sparkling, because using protection was apparently too much work. They were like irresponsible protoforms. 

It had been a week since transfer and the ranting and raving had since calmed. When the sparkling first emerged Starscream refused to take him out of the apartment. The last thing he needed was someone taking out their hatred of him on his sparkling, which was bound to happen eventually. Unfortunately it was Wheeljack who would have to take care of it, as Starscream couldn’t risk tarnishing his reputation by tearing out the throat of anyone who dared harm his precious little creation. Wheeljack, on the other hand, was non-politically affiliated, and his actions would appear both more appropriate and justified in the eyes of the public.  

Not long after Wheeljack arrived back at his lab, he was visited by Windblade. Despite her initial disapproval she soon came to love Wheeljack’s little sparkling, despite the other half of it’s spark belonging to Starscream. She liked to visit Wheeljack in hopes of him having the sparkling that day. In this instance, like many others, she got to hold the little thing and wiggle a finger at it while Wheeljack got to get his work done. 

“So, does he have a name yet?” Windblade asked. 

“Nope, high and mighty Carrier refuses to pick one.”

“He’s going to need a name eventually.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“Does he know that?” Windblade joked. 

“Primus I hope so.”

Wheeljack took note of his sparkling’s behavior and stood up, making his way over to Windblade and plucking the little guy from her arms. “I can’t tell if he’s tired or has to refuel,” Wheeljack admitted, looking down at the tiny thing in his arms. “Both?” he muttered to himself. “Lets just see what happens,” he came to sit back on his stool where he attached the fuel line to his sparklings chest and waited to see how he reacted. The no name sparkling snuggled in, which was good indication that Wheeljack had guessed right. Which was good for him because he often guessed wrong. 

Wheeljack was clueless when it came to being a Sire, but he did his best. Outdated Sire programming often helped him out a little. 

Windblade smiled at the two. “You two are adorable,” she said quietly, her eyes twinkling as she studied the little family. 

“Heh, thanks. I probably look pretty good next to this little guy.” Wheeljack had tried, when no name first emerged, to do his work while the little guy refueled. He found out fairly quickly, though, that there was little he could do while his energy reserves were being drained by a needy little newborn. Wheeljack didn’t mind, he loved feeding his sparkling. Sire programming tended to take over, though, and keep his concentration locked on nothing more. 

Wheeljack brushed a bit of dust off his sparkling’s face. Little no name lifted a clumsy hand and swatted it against his Sire’s, letting it rest there. Wheeljack offered him a finger and the sparkling captured it in his own tiny palm, digging his little claws in to make sure Sire wasn’t going anywhere. Wheeljack didn’t mind, he liked giving his sparkling something to hang on to. A part of him liked to think it made the little guy feel just that much safer. 

“What names have you considered?” Windblade asked, re-adjusting herself in her seat slightly to cross her legs and lean her elbows on the table. 

“I’ve thrown out plenty of things. Sunny, Sol, Aero-”

“Aero?” Windblade questioned, quirking a brow.

“Yeah, Aero. I thought Star would like it, related to flight and stuff.”

“...Star?”

Wheeljack pointed a sharp finger at his friend. “I swear to Primus if you give me another speech about gettin’ “too familiar” I’m kicking you out,” He referred to the sparkling, pointing to him with a flattened hand. “We already made a sparkling, I’d assumed you and me were past this.”

“Sorry,” Windblade apologized, rubbing her hands together before intertwining her fingers and letting them come to rest on the table. “Just still a little odd.”

“Huh, yeah, yer tellin’ me.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t go for Aero, that’s cute.”

“I know, isn’t it? I was surprised too. I don’t know what it is, but he just won’t pick one. He’s suggested two and they’re both horrible.”

“What were they?”

“Pump and Loophole.”

Windblade barked a laugh. “Dear Prima, I assumed he had a little more taste than that.”

“I know, they’re terrible. I shot them down. Though, honestly, even he didn’t seem to be committed to them. I have a feeling he would have fought me on it more if he were.” 

“He does seem like the type,” Windblade muttered. “Either way, though, I’m happy for you. You seem to be taking to Sire-hood.”

“Oh yeah, I love it...I mean, I don’t know if I love it as a thing, I love this little guy. But then again I’m probably required to love him. Does thinking that make me a bad Sire? No- it doesn’t, right? No, it doesn’t...does it? I mean, I love him, of course, he’s perfect and beautiful, and mine and-”

“I have a feeling the ancient programming is messing with your head,” Windblade cut in, her lips turning in a little as she furrowed her brow at Wheeljack. 

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Wheeljack admitted. “Lot of worrying going on up here. Is he too warm? is he hungry? where is he? In the crib? Good. Then I check the crib a dozen times! Back to back, I walk away I go back, I walk away I go back. It’s endless. It’s like there’s a little voice nagging at me constantly “are ya sure he’s not dead” Yeah, I’m sure he’s not dead I just fed him!” 

Windblade practically leaped from her seat to place a hand on her friend’s arm. “Alright,” she eased. “Calm down,” she stifled a chuckle. “Maybe you need some time away.”

“No,” Wheeljack answered immediately, drawing the sparkling closer to his chest. “No, uh...not yet. Maybe when the programming calms down a bit.”

Windblade stood up straight. “If you insist. But when you and Starscream need a day away, I will welcome your sparkling with open arms.”

“I’m sure you would-” Wheeljack stopped short. “Why would we take a day away together?”

Windblade’s brow furrowed. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“Well, it’s not like we live together or anything. Creators, sure, I guess. But- we tend to keep it separate. Sometimes we sleep at eachother apartments, but we like to keep it casual. We don’t usually do things together.”

“Do you still interface?”

“That we do do together.” 

Wheeljack noticed the way Windblade’s wings rattled but otherwise suppressed the shutter. It had taken her a while to stop commenting. Instead she reluctantly accepted the idea. Even asked questions occasionally. 

“How has that- been. After the unfurling?”

Wheeljack shrugged a shoulder. “Same as always. No better, no worse. Still good.” 

Windblade nodded. “That’s- good to hear. I’ve heard sometimes it dies down after the sparkling arrives.”

“Nope, still going at it like petro-rabbits,” Wheeljack joked, knowing it would make Windblade squirm a little. It did, but not as much as it used to. 

“Well, don’t have another sparkling too soon,” she joked right back. “I think that’s the last thing we need right now.”

Wheeljack detached the feeding tube from his sparkling’s chest. Little no name snuggled right in before his chest plate even closed entirely. He was asleep seconds later. “I dunno,” Wheeljack mumbled, smiling down at his little cherub. “I think the world could use a few more sparklings. Renew our innocents a little,” he looked to Windblade. “Nothin’ like a new life to keep ya honest.” 

Windblade offered a soft smile, watching as Wheeljack rested a light hand on the side of his sleeping sparklings head, and gazed at the little creature as if he were, not only the most beautiful, but the only thing in the world. 

“I’m happy for you, Wheeljack.” Windblade said quietly, smile never wavering. 

 

* * *

 

Wheeljack tucked the sparkling safely in his cabin before heading off to his apartment. The little guy was still asleep, which gave Wheeljack the hint that they were going to have a fussy night later. He’d been asleep for almost two hours now, and was bound to wake up for something in another two hours. 

When they got home Wheeljack delivered the sparkling to his crib immediately. Wheeljack had the crib at his house much more decked out than the one at Starscream’s. There was a nice soft berth pad with polka dots on it, and a blue blanket lining the bars. Above the crib hung a mobile with little planes on it. In the crib, on one end, sat a little stuffed dog that Thundercracker had gifted to them and Starscream refused to accept. It was a bit too organic for his liking.  There was even a little canopy.  

The crib at Starscream’s apartment had a blanket covering the bars and a plain blue berth pad, and nothing else. Occasionally, when they spent the night at Wheeljack’s, Starscream would complain about the very “loud” crib. He would argue that all of the trimmings were unnecessary and a waste of space. Wheeljack just ignored him on those occasions. 

Wheeljack fell into bed, not realizing how tired he was until his back hit the berth. As soon as he was down he could tell there was no getting back up. Luckily Sire coding was there to haul his sorry aft out of bed when the sparkling called. Wheeljack managed three hours of sleep before that happened.  

With a sigh he rubbed a hand down his face. “Okay, little guy, I’m coming.” by the time he reached the crib little No Name had broken into a full blown cry. For now it wasn’t very loud, being so young, but it was sure to get louder the bigger he got. 

The sparkling squirmed in his crib, swatting his hands around and wagging his legs in the air. Desperately he reached up, using his head to lift his body upwards. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’, cool yer jets,” Wheeljack said, reaching in and pulling out the distressed little creature. Once he was safe in Sire’s arms Wheeljack placed him on his shoulder and started bouncing, “What’s wrong little guy, ya hungry?” Wheeljack settled him in the crook of his arm but the sparkling refused the feeding tube. After that Wheeljack kept bouncing.

It was two hours before the sparkling was sated. The only reason he calmed was because he’d tuckered himself out and fell back asleep. Being careful not to disturb the little guy Wheeljack placed him gently back in his crib. For a second he looked around at the clutter and wondered if he should take Starscream’s word to spark. Was it tacky? No. It was soft and comfortable. And it wasn’t as though he had a blanket in there that could get stuck in the little guys vents. 

Maybe the dog was too much. They couldn’t just get rid of it, though, it was a gift. Then again, he could always put it on the shelf beside the crib. Maybe that would be better. Wheeljack removed the dog and did just that. It was likely little No Name would wake up again, on account of his Carrier being a few city blocks away. New Sparks tended to get fussy when they weren’t in the presence of both creators spark energy. 

Sometimes creators got a little fussy too. Wheeljack, as well as Starscream, had had their fair share of worried hours lying awake when one of them had the sparkling and the other didn’t. Eventually they fell asleep, but only after forcing away the feeling that something was horribly horribly wrong. 

It was another hour before Wheeljack could force himself back to the berth. It took a few tries, but eventually he managed. To his fortune the sparkling didn’t wake again for the rest of the night. 

When Wheeljack awoke again it was with light bleeding through the curtains onto his face. He blocked out the light with his hand and remained lying in bed for a while waiting for the sparkling to call on him. It seemed to be taking longer than usual. For a moment Wheeljack was thankful for that. Gave him a chance to rest a bit. 

Then his Sire side kicked in and Wheeljack found himself wandering to the crib. 

His Spark nearly leaped out of his chest when he leaned over and found the crib empty. Wheeljack yelped, practically throwing himself into the empty crib to look closer at the empty space. “Where did he go? he said frantically. “Where did he go where did he go where did he go?!” he looked under the berth pad and the crib, and on the shelf and on his bed, and under his bed. When every hiding placing in his room was exhausted he ran out into the main area. 

When he spotted a specific red Seeker sipping at a cube and reading a datapad while feeding the sparkling, every muscle in Wheeljack’s body relaxed. Then they tensed back up. “Starscream!” he called, practically stomping to the co-creator. “Don’t do that! You nearly gave me a spark attack. Ya can’t just come in- and take the sparkling- without telling me.”

Starscream placed his energon cube on the table. “Good morning to you too.”

“I just tore apart my room looking for-!” 

“How do you feel about Polaris?”

Wheeljack paused in his intense gesture. He quirked a furrowed brow. “What?”

“Polaris. For his name. It’s the name the humans gave one of the stars.”

Wheeljack couldn’t believe they were talking about this now. Couldn’t Starscream see that he was trying to complain about something? “What?” he shook his head. “No- I don’t like- It’s pretty but I don’t like it. We are not talking about that now!”

“Oh, Wheeljack, we’re always talking about that.”

Wheeljack huffed, letting his arms drop. “I am mad at you,” he said bluntly. 

“You and everyone else in the world.”

Wheeljack pinched the rim of his brow. “Starscream.”

“Wheeljack,” Starscream repeated, replicating his tone. 

Wheeljack held back from rolling his eyes. “Please don’t take the sparkling anywhere without telling me.” 

“We’ll see. Listen,” Starscream emptied his cube in one swig before slamming the cube on the table and standing up. “I’m here for the usual reason, and for an early morning frag. Are you going to indulge me?” 

The usual reason was to see the sparkling first thing in the morning. Usually he was considerate enough to wake Wheeljack up and announce his presence before stealing the little guy away. 

Wheeljack crossed his arms. “I don’t know if I feel like it this morning, considering.” 

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’ll get the heat out someway else,” Starscream flicked a hand and began stalking towards the door. 

“We can do it later,” Wheeljack called, though not budging otherwise. 

Starscream paused at the door, looking over his shoulder. “Am I staying the night?”

“Do you want to?”

Starscream stared forward again. “I’ll stay over,” he said, walking past the threshold. 

 

* * *

 

Later that night Starscream tucked his precious sparkling into the crib before digging his claws into his partner’s shoulders and dragging him down into the berth. Wheeljack took the hint. 

Starscream didn’t seem in the mood for too much foreplay. Most of the time when he growled and dug his claws in he wanted an in and out. But Wheeljack liked taking a little time, so he ran his fingers over every clenched seam, easing his partners tight plating. 

“You think there’ll ever be a time when you come to bed relaxed?” Wheeljack muttered, his mask hovering just at his partners lips. 

“As soon as Cybertron gets out of the pits I give it a fifty percent chance,” Starscream growled, trying to sound more patient than he was. Starscream’s claws detached from Wheeljack’s shoulders and went right for his mask. “Now give me that mouth of yours,” Starscream demanded, trying to pry the mask open. Wheeljack chuckled but didn’t budge. Instead he nuzzled at his partner’s neck. “Oh, I’ll give it to ya,” Wheeljack muttered in a husky voice. A hand trickled down, tracing his partners side until he made it down to his thighs. Wheeljack palmed at Starscream’s panel and it retracted immediately. 

“I’m relaxed enough,” Starscream snapped in an airy tone.  “Just get on with it,” he practically begged, squeaking at the very end when Wheeljack’s finger began tracing his ring. Starscream shuttered out a breath and relaxed further into the berth. 

“There we go,” Wheeljack muttered, making his way down. Halfway down Starscream’s cockpit Wheeljack retracted his mask. He left a soft trail of kisses, pausing at his mates abdomen before moving in. Starscream relaxed with every touch of the lips, but let out the smallest gasp when Wheeljack took a nip at his exterior node. 

A shutter rocked Starscream’s body as Wheeljack took the node into his mouth and assaulted it with the tip of his glossia. Starscream’s hands clenched and unclenched the sheets. His back arched off the berth but Wheeljack kept his hips in place as he continued to suckle at the overly sensitive hardware. 

“Wheeljack,” Starscream sighed in a breathless whisper. After a soft keen he stiffened and fell back against the berth. Wheeljack smirked into his work before abandoning the node to kiss the soft mesh protecting the highly lubricated valve. Starscream’s vents became more rapid and labored. His hands abandoned the berth and searched around for something to hold. One landed on the back of his head while Wheeljack offered his own to take. Starscream grabbed his fingers and held them in an iron grip and Wheeljack pulled him closer to overload. 

Starscream’s mouth opened in a silent scream when it finally washed over him, sparking across his frame. With a small groan Starscream eased back into the berth. 

Wheeljack climbed back up to look his partner in the eyes. “Think you got another one in you?” he smirked, waiting for his partner to come down from the high. With his eyes half lidded and mouth slightly ajar, softly panting, Starscream nodded, working his jaw. 

Wheeljack took in a deep vent, adjusting himself slightly before opening up his panel and letting his spike pressurize. The tip nudged at Starscream’s opening. Starscream bit his lip and closed his eyes, letting his head fall back as Wheeljack slowly eased into the eagar valve. 

Wheeljack hilted himself inside of the seeker. Gently he rubbed little circles into Starscream's hips with his thumbs before shifting a bit, pulling out just slightly. 

“Ready?” He asked. 

Starscream, still lost in the sensation, gave a small nod and let his legs fall open a little wider. 

Wheeljack went slow at first, pulling out and sinking in at an excruciating pace.  Starscream keened, biting his lip harder. Gradually Wheeljack sped up until every thrust was quick, but calculated, hitting all of the interior nodes just right, earning Wheeljack those little gasps and pants and moans Starscream so rarely gifted. 

Wheeljack, entranced by his partner's beautiful ecstasy ridden face, assaulted his seekers neck and jaw with a slew of kisses, nipping at the sensitive cables. 

Starscream seemed to almost wake up, flinching to attention and wrapping his arms around Wheeljack's neck and head, keeping him in place. Starscream smiled as he bit his lip, listening to Wheeljack grunt and moan into his audio receptor. Starscream wrapped his legs around his partners hips and trapped him hilt deep. 

Wheeljack shuttered against his partner before stiffening. With a moan he emptied all of the transfluid he had to offer into Starscream’s valve before falling limp atop his partner. 

The sound of soft panting vents filled the room. Wheeljack hummed before taking in a deep vent. Carefully he shifted, pulling out. Starscream released him and let himself fall limp. 

Starscream was still a little lost, his eyes closed, with one hand clenching beside his head while the other laid over his cockpit. 

Wheeljack groaned, sliding slightly off his partner but keeping an arm draped around his waist. 

When the venting calmed Starscream rolled over. With his nose he tickled his partners cheek, asking for attention. Starscream scooted closer and continued to nuzzle at the side of Wheeljack's head before giving it a kiss. Wheeljack grunted softly, acknowledging the affection. He shifted the arm around his partners waist so his hand cupped his aft and lower back. 

Starscream pecked Wheeljack's warm cheek with kisses, smirking when he let his lips rest there.  

Wheeljack hummed, rubbing Starscream's lower back with his thumb. 

“You really take it all outta me.” 

Starscream hummed into a laugh. “literally.” 

Wheeljack snorted an almost un-amused laugh. “yeah,” he groaned, turning his head to look Starscream in the eye. Wheeljack nuzzled in. “Least he didn't interrupted us this time.” 

“Oh just wait. He’ll be up in, maximum, three hours. And when he does he's yours.” 

Wheeljack hummed again. “I can accept that. How’re you doin’? Can take a while to heal, this sorta thing.” 

Starscream pressed his body into Wheeljack's, his knee coming up to rest on his aft. “still tired. Still sore. But the same otherwise. I'm sure I’ll be back to normal by next week.” 

Wheeljack gave his partner a peck on the lips. “Glad to hear that,” he mumbled, letting himself go limp. Starscream did the same. 

They fell asleep intertwined and smiling. 

 

* * *

 

Months passed as normal. They spent nights together and days together. More or less time together. In those months a thousand names came and went, suggested and shot down by each partner.  They were beginning to run out of ideas. As was Windblade, who they both often asked for suggestions. Secretly, of course. 

When she ran out Wheeljack asked Ironhide. And Starscream asked Rattrap, much to his reluctance. 

And still Wheeljack and Starscream’s bundle of joy remained nameless. He remained nameless When Wheeljack put the sparkling down to take his first steps towards Carrier. And when he topped over halfway through and Starscream leaped to catch him. 

He remained nameless when Wheeljack grabbed Starscream’s attention in their mutual livingspace so Starscream could see his sparkling walking very carefully towards him. Even when he made it, scooped into Carriers arms with joyous celebration that he’d made it all the way across the room, he remained nameless. 

When he cried at night with serious intent, because he missed his creators touch, and when Wheeljack would hum to him or Starscream would hold his hands, the little angel remained nameless. Sometimes in those moments a melancholy feeling washed over the creators. They could not comfort their sparkling with his name because he had none. 

Wheeljack, getting tired of it at almost a year in, gave the little guy a nickname until they picked a permanent name. NoNa. Short for No Name. Which kept reminding Wheeljack that their little bundle needed a name, much to his disdain. Not towards the sparkling, but towards the Carrier who refused to pick one. The sparkling was alreayd a cycle old and he still didn’t have a permanent name. If they didn’t pick on soon NoNa would stick. 

Starscream often shoved those concerns off and reminded Wheeljack that they still had a year until that happened. 

“Starscream,” Wheeljack said sternly. “This can’t go on. We have to pick. I don’t even care what it is anymore! Just give him a fraggin’ name!”

Starscream flicked a dismissive hand. “It’s fine,” he insisted. “None have just-” he shrugged a little. “Clicked. We can discuss this later,” absently Starscream pet the finial of the sparkling sitting in his lap. 

“No. We can’t discuss this later. We’re discussing it now.”

Starscream put down his light pen and scowled at his partner. Before he could say anything little No Name swiped the pen off the desk and took it right into his mouth. 

“No, no no. Give that back to Carrier,” Starscream said, gently prying the pen out of his sparklings fingers and mouth. The sparklings fought adamantly, whining at having his prize stolen. “No,” Starscream said again. “Give that to me please,” Starscream suddenly felt frustrated, so frustrated he resorted to using the little nickname Wheeljack had assigned, which Starscream so despised. “NoNa, “ he said sternly. “Let go of it,”

The sparkling whined and slapped the pen on the table in protest. Starscream grabbed his little wrist, though not hard, and took the pen out of his hand. As soon as it was out of arms reach the sparkling began to cry. Starscream sighed and stood up, taking the fussy youngling with him. 

“Has he eaten today?” asked Wheeljack, taking the sparkling as it was handed off to him. 

“Not much, he only took one bottle.”

“One?” Wheeljack questioned. Usually their little guy took three, easy, by this time of day. 

“I think he’s getting sick.”

“Well we should take ‘em to a doctor then,” Wheeljack said, bouncing the still upset sparkling in his hip. Wheeljack wandered over to the desk while Starscream prepared a bottle from the freezer unit they kept in his office. 

Wheeljack picked up one of the light pens and handed it to the little tyke.

“Wheeljack,” Starscream groused, walking back over to them. “You can’t do that.”

“What? He wants the pen, simple. Just give ‘em a pen.”

“But I already told him he couldn’t have it.

“Star, it’s a pen. It’s fine. Now look, he’s stopped crying.”

Starscream shook his head. “You’re missing the point,” he muttered, flicking a hand over his shoulder as he made his way back over to the bottle. 

“Well then tell me the point.”

Starscream rolled his eyes, testing the energon on his wrist. “If I tell him he can’t have something,” he started, wandering back over to them. “And then he goes to you and you tell him he can have that something. Not only are you a pushover, but I’m the mean one. And he learns that if I say no then you’ll say yes.”

Wheeljack took the bottle and adjusted the one cycle old in his arms. “Then I guess it’s best we get on the same page then. How ‘bout we start with the name?” 

“Oh not this again,” Starscream muttered. 

“You act like it’s not a big deal.”

“Well it isn’t right now.”

“You got any idea how stupid and irresponsible we look havin’ a sparkling without a name? Not even a new sparkling. A Cycle old sparkling. Who don’t have a name.”

“Do you have any idea how stupid and irresponsible we looked having a sparkling in the first place? We’ll deal with it, just keep calling him your stupid nickname, then someday, when we come up with something, we’ll tell him NoNa was just a nickname.”

“That is a stupid idea.”

“Do you have anything better?” Starscream snapped. 

“Yeah! We give him a name!”  

Starscream huffed. “Fine,” he spat. “We’ll give him a name. When we take him to the med-bay we’ll give him a name. Fair?” 

Wheeljack shook his head. “You are somethin’ else,” he muttered, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from Starscream's desk. 

Wheeljack offered the bottle to little No Names lips but he refused it, turning his head away. 

“Come on little guy,” Wheeljack urged. “you gotta eat. Ain't had hardly a meal all day.” 

But the sparkling pushed his meal away. His little face scrunched up with distress and he began to cry again, dropping the pen that had been gifted to him. 

“He did this yesterday too,” Starscream said, taking a knee before them. He put a gentle hand to his sparklings head and pet back in a futile attempt to sate him. 

“Could it just be the age?” 

“No no. I think he's in pain.”

“He ain't cryin’ all the time is he?” 

“It's on and off.” 

Starscream put the hand on the sparklings stomach and gently pressed. The sparkling erupted in a scream and Starscream quickly drew his hand away. The carrier pouted, continuing to pet his sparklings head. “does your tank hurt?” He asked, gently rubbing the sparklings forehead with a thumb. He looked up at Wheeljack. “we should take him to the med-bay.” 

“Yeah, let's go,” Wheeljack agreed, already moving to stand up. 

On the way to the med-bay the sparkling’s crying died down a bit, but tears still lingered in his optics. Some people stared as they passes, drawn by the cries of a distressed sparkling. 

Fixit took the sparkling in and laid him on an examination table. “it's okay little guy,” he soothed. “just gonna take a look at you.” 

Wheeljack and Starscream stood beside the berth. They stood so that their arms were touching and their fingers brushed together but refused to intertwine, no matter how stressed they got watching their sparkling get poked and prodded. 

When Fixit pressed the sparklings stomach and little NoNa let out a great cry of pain Wheeljack felt his partners plating flare and stiffen. He glanced at him with his eyes before taking his hand. 

Fixit pouted. “oh, poor little guy. How has eating been?”

“Today and yesterday he refused almost all his bottles,” Starscream answered immediately. “But he's not crying constantly.” 

“Have you tried burping him?”

“Of course I tried burping him,” Starscream's snapped. “that's the first thing I tried. I've had him for a year, I'm not an idiot.” 

“I wasn't trying to imply that, Lord Starscream. But Sparklings are still sort of -new- since the war ended. And I know new creators can get a little flustered. I'm just throwing things out there.” Fixit took out a scanner. “my best guess is just a small tube blockage. It can be fixed up with laxatives or a very minor surgery, not that big of a deal. But the scan will tell me if I'm right.” 

Starscream took a knee beside the berth and took his crying sparklings hand, gently rubbing the back of it with his thumb as Fixit took a scan. 

Fixit looked at the results. His brow quirked and he pressed a few buttons on the scanner before turning his attention to the creators. 

“What are you feeding him?” He asked, looking curiously at the Sire. Wheeljack and Starscream exchanged a glance. Wheeljack answered. “Just a diluted energon formula. Nothin’ too intense, why?” 

“So you're weaning him off of your supply?” 

"We’ve been trying to, yeah.”

“Well, I'd recommend keeping him on a little longer. Or I can give you a different formula.”

“What's wrong with him?” 

Fixit stared at his scanner as he spoke. “it appears as though there's a sore, or some erosion on NoNa’s filters and tubing. Nothing too serious, but it's probably causing the discomfort.” Fixit shrugged. “He either has sensitive systems or is just too young to be taking the formula you're using. I’d recommend a blend of your own and the diluted, and I'll give you something to put in it to help sooth the pain and help the sores heal,” the doctor wandered over to one of the cupboard and began sifting through it. “it should take about a month to heal if you keep on schedule.” 

Fixit pulled out two bottles, one he handed to Wheeljack, the other he screwed the top off of. “for now I'll give him one of these. It should sate the pain enough for him to eat. You can pick him up if you want.” 

Starscream took his sparklings under the arm and scooped him up, placing him on his hip. By then NoNa was coming down from his crying, though continued to hold his carriers hand. Fixit offered him the little square medicine. “It melts in the mouth,” he explained. “and it's sweet so people like them.” 

NoNa opened his mouth for the medicine, complying with Carriers demands. At first he cringed, afraid of the pain it would bring him, but he soon found it sweet and laid his head down on Carriers chest as it melted in his mouth. 

Starscream put a hand on the side of NoNa’s head and gave the top of it a kiss. 

Wheeljack, meanwhile, subspaced the pill bottle. “thanks doc,” he said. “How long 'till we come back for a follow up appointment?” 

“I'd say two weeks. And if he still isn't taking his bottles after a week come back and I'll see what I can do. Those should work, though. I recommend feeding right after you leave here.” 

“Will do, doc, thanks a lot.” Wheeljack offered a weak wave as they parted. Starscream practically booked it out of the med-bay, hardly waiting for Wheeljack to finish up. Wheeljack had to almost jog to keep up with him. 

“Where’re we goin’?” 

“To the apartment.” 

“So, you got a name?” 

Starscream rolled his eyes. “we can talk about that later.” 

“Starscream-” 

“Honestly Wheeljack. We’ll talk about it. I swear.” 

Wheeljack didn't believe him but he let it slide. 

 

* * *

 

NoNa took his bottle without fuss and for another half hour Wheeljack sat feeding him while Starscream prepared more bottles and put them in the freezer. 

“So,” Wheeljack started. “the name?” 

Starscream put the last bottle in the fridge and turned to his partner. Taking his sweet time he strutted back over to the little family. 

“I think I have,” Starscream drawled, circling Wheeljack and letting an arm draped around his shoulder. He leaned down so his head was beside his partners. “I think we’ll stick with NoNa.” 

Wheeljack leaned a little so he could look at Starscream. 

“Really? I thought you hated that name.” 

“I do. But it's growing on me.” He stood up straight. “And thanks to you it's catching on. If NoNa doesn't think that's his name by now then he’ll never know it.” 

Starscream leaned down again. He surprised Wheeljack with a kiss on the cheek. “You have good name ideas. And I know sometimes I can be,” he waved his hand in circles, looking for the word. “stubborn,” he smirked back at Wheeljack. “but I wanted our first sparkling to have a perfect name.” 

Wheeljack's eyes popped a little wider. “our  _ first  _ sparkling?”

Starscream hummed into his partners cheeks. Wheeljack could feel his partner smirking. Starscream chuckled then moved his mouth to Wheeljack’s audio receptor and whispered, “you get to have the next one.” 

And as surprising as that was. Wheeljack was oddly okay with it. 


End file.
